President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inaugurated the Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 Cavite Extension Project Phase 1, which is set to begin operations on Saturday, Nov. 16.
“Kaya hinihikayat ko ang lahat ng ating mga commuter na subukan ninyo at makikita ninyo na napakaginhawa kumpara sa trapik na nararanasan natin araw-araw,” he said. (Which is why I encourage all commuters to try it and see how convenient it is compared to the traffic we experience daily.)
After going through the boarding process of purchasing tickets and swiping them at the entrance, Marcos joined the inaugural ride, which made stops at the new stations.
Accompanying the president were Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, along with other government officials and senators.
After the ride, Marcos emphasized the need for the government to invest more in building rail projects for the benefit of commuters.
“Sinasabi ko, gawin natin ang lahat para madagdagan nang madagdagan ang ating rail infrastructure, dahil makikita natin na napakalaking bagay ito. Napakalaking ginhawa at mas mabilis; makakapag-save tayo ng oras at simple lamang ang pagsakay ng tren,” he said. (Let us do all we can to expand our rail infrastructure. Trains are fast, convenient, and time-saving.)
The LRT extension is expected to reduce travel time from Quezon City to Parañaque by about an hour and will serve an additional 80,000 passengers. Under the extension project, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) plans to open a total of 8 more stations.
“Once fully operational, the entire stretch of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project will reduce travel time from Baclaran in Parañaque to Bacoor, Cavite to just 25 minutes,” said the DOTr.
Phase 1 of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension project covers the five stations of Redemptorist – ASEANA Station, MIA Road Station, PITX Station, Ninoy Aquino Avenue Station, and Dr. Santos Station.